Saturday, August 30, 2008

170 - How Can a Blog or Podcast Boost Your Travel Sales?

Podcast Number One-hundred-seventy

The most effective way to market your home based travel business is to get out of the house and get involved in your community. People will purchase their vacations from you but only after they get to know you, like you and trust you. The best way for people to get to know you, like you and trust you is for people to meet you in person. They will trust you after they spend some time getting to know you. Eventually they will buy from you and if you do a good job they will refer you to other people.

A blog or podcast is the second best way for people to know, like, trust, buy and refer you. With blogging and podcasting you can reach out beyond your local community and get people to know you, like you and trust you. These are people you have never met. There is a reason blogging and podcasting are called social media. Many people don't get it - they think they can simply create an advertisement using blogging or podcasting. This is old media. New media is really about the, "know, like, trust, buy and refer" process. Listen and learn what social media has to offer for growing your business.

Links:

www.podcastfaq.com

www.wordpress.com

www.blogger.com

Mark Murphy, in the "Travel Pulse" writes an editorial on how a blog can impact your travel business. Check out Marks editorial in the August 21st edition of the Presidents Letter.

Travel and Leisure Magazine's Top 10 Large Ship Cruise Lines


Travel and Leisure Magazine's 10 places to visit before you're 10 years old.

Zen Class Nirvana Travel Organizer at Zen Class Travel.

GotoMeeting is now available for the Mac. Get a 30 day free trial at http://www.gotometting.com/podcasts.

Learn, enjoy, produce and prosper!

Check out Lorenes travel agent website at www.sharptonguedconsulting.com.

Check out
Blubrry. It's a great place to be a listener. You can comment on podcasts you listen to and you can sign up to be friends with the podcasters on the Blubrry Network. Go over to Blubrry, sign up and become my friend. I would like to get to know all of you!

Would you like to get more information about the travel business, about life and about business in general? Check out my personal blog at
http://www.hometravelagent.net/WordPress/ Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. You can email me at barry@hometravelagent.net or email Lorene at sharptongued@mac.com



Epiphany a Detroit Jazz CompilationGayelyn Mkinney
"Joy" (mp3)
from "Epiphany a Detroit Jazz Compilation"
(Submerge Recordings)

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Thursday, August 21, 2008

169 - Nolan Burris Explains the Process of Putting a Mac in Your Travel Business

Podcast Number One-hundred-sixty-nine

GotoMeeting is now available for the Mac. Get a 30 day free trial at http://www.gotometting.com/podcasts.

Today a computer is an essential tool for running your business. Nolan Burris of Future Proof Travel joins Barry and Lorene to talk about using an Apple MacIntosh for your business. Nolan talks about making the switch from the PC to the MacIntosh. Why should you switch? "Because they just work," says Nolan. This is not a dry technical discussion about PC versus Mac. Nolan is a motivational speaker and he will entertain you as he talks about making the switch. Nolan maintains the website, "FutureProofTravel" where you can find excellent training materials for travel agents. In addition, Nolan developed the website, www.macintravel.com where you can find more information about making the switch from the PC to the Mac.

Plus the Chicago Tribune's report on the top ten U.S. and Canada cities for travel.

Check out Lorenes travel agent website at www.sharptonguedconsulting.com.

Check out
Blubrry. It's a great place to be a listener. You can comment on podcasts you listen to and you can sign up to be friends with the podcasters on the Blubrry Network. Go over to Blubrry, sign up and become my friend. I would like to get to know all of you!

Would you like to get more information about the travel business, about life and about business in general? Check out my personal blog at
http://www.hometravelagent.net/WordPress/ Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. You can email me at barry@hometravelagent.net or email Lorene at sharptongued@mac.com



An InvitationInara George with Van Dyke Parks
"Accidental" (mp3)
from "An Invitation"
(Everloving)

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Sunday, August 10, 2008

168 - Shore Trips, Qualifying Your Clients and a New Disney Segment

Podcast Number One-hundred-sixty-eight

This show brings a surprise. We have a Disney segment provided by a Disney Travel Specialist, Gary Ebels. Gary will be an addition to the show with an occasional five minute (or thereabouts) segment about Disney. In the co-hosted segment of today's show, Lorene talks about shore excursions. Lorene explains how to make commission on shore excursions and how to qualify your clients for shore excursions.

Shore Trips

Port Promotions

CNN reports the loss of a famous arch in Arch National Park, Utah.

The Chicago Tribune reports on the Travel and Leisure Magazine poll to find the top ten best cities to visit.

Check out the new AGENT2AGENT forum at http://agent2agent.lefora.com/forum/

This podcast is sponsored by GoToMeeting

Check out Lorenes travel agent website at www.sharptonguedconsulting.com.

Check out
Blubrry. It's a great place to be a listener. You can comment on podcasts you listen to and you can sign up to be friends with the podcasters on the Blubrry Network. Go over to Blubrry, sign up and become my friend. I would like to get to know all of you!

Would you like to get more information about the travel business, about life and about business in general? Check out my personal blog at
http://www.hometravelagent.net/WordPress/ Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. You can email me at barry@hometravelagent.net or email Lorene at sharptongued@mac.com



Paquito D'Rivera

Who's Smoking? (mp3)

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Sunday, August 03, 2008

167 - The Iphone, A Business Tool for the Travel Agent

Podcast Number One-hundred-sixty-seven

Is the Iphone a tool or a toy? Lorene and Barry discuss using the Iphone for their travel business. And, yes the Iphone is a tool and a toy. You can compose, send and read email on the Iphone. Using the Mobile Me service your email, calendar and contacts are synchronized on all of your computers. We predict that access to GDS systems and Client Resource Management systems will come to the Iphone and other small mobile computing devices. Listen in to the show and hear more about Lorene and Barry's experience with the new Iphone.

In the news:

Iraq Tourism?

Websites that Connect Travel Agents to Clients


Northwest Airlines $80 Fuel Surcharge

Retired Chemist Ready to go Into Space on Virgin Galactic

Good Advice for Your Clients About Airlines




Check out the new AGENT2AGENT forum at http://agent2agent.lefora.com/forum/

This podcast is sponsored by GoToMeeting

Check out Lorenes travel agent website at www.sharptonguedconsulting.com.

Check out
Blubrry. It's a great place to be a listener. You can comment on podcasts you listen to and you can sign up to be friends with the podcasters on the Blubrry Network. Go over to Blubrry, sign up and become my friend. I would like to get to know all of you!

Would you like to get more information about the travel business, about life and about business in general? Check out my personal blog at
http://www.hometravelagent.net/WordPress/ Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. You can email me at barry@hometravelagent.net or email Lorene at sharptongued@mac.com



Bonsai BopThe Ryoko Trio
"Bouches D'or" (mp3)
from "Bonsai Bop"
(Candid Productions Ltd.)

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